magazine of the world parrot trust august 2002 no.52 ... · macaw - the race to save the...

Magazine of the World Parrot Trust August 2002 No.52

PsittaScene

Stop Press! Fuertes’s Parrot Rediscovered - page 18!Supporting parrot conservation in the wild andpromoting parrot welfare in captivity.‘psittacine’ (pronounced ‘sit a sin’) meaning ‘belonging or allied to the parrots’ or ‘parrot-like’

PsittaScenePsittaScene

Andrew Greenwood MA, Vet MB, FIBiol, DipECAMS, frcvs

AndrewGreenwood is afounder trusteeof the WorldParrot Trust. Heis a partner inthe InternationalZoo VeterinaryGroup and haspractised full-time wildlifemedicine for 30years, with aparticular

interest in birds. Besides holding the normalveterinary qualifications, he is a Diplomate ofthe European College of Avian Medicine andSurgery, a Fellow of the Institute of Biologyand has recently been created a Fellow of theRoyal College of Veterinary Surgeons forcontributions to zoological medicine.Andrew's interest in birds goes back a longway. He kept small aviary birds and owls athome and, at school, became involved inornithology and bird ringing. He was a keenfalconer during his school and university yearsand so it was natural for him to take aninterest in avian medicine. At that time, themain driving force of avian medicine wasfalconry, and only in the late 1970s did thefocus change to parrots, with the rapid rise ofparrot aviculture. With the support andencouragement of Rosemary Low, JohnStoodley and Mike Reynolds, Andrewintroduced surgical sexing and other aviantechniques into the UK from the United States,where the discipline was developing rapidly.In conservation, Andrew has carried outoverseas missions on behalf of the Trust to St.Vincent, Paraguay and Mauritius. He alsovisited New Zealand for the Department ofConservation to review the Kakapoprogramme. Involvement in Mauritius beganin 1994, when WPT supported him to visit theMauritian Wildlife Foundation, which wasstruggling to rescue the Echo Parakeet. Aftereight years working with the programme,numbers have increased dramatically, and adisease monitoring programme continues.Involvement with the Echo Parakeet led tostronger links with Mauritius and work with

EditorRosemary Low,Glanmor House, Hayle, Cornwall,TR27 4HB, UK

CONTENTSWPT Scientific Committee ....................2-3Yellow-faced Amazon ............................4-5Imperial Amazon (Sisserou) ..................6-7Captive Birds Conservation ......................8WPT Highlights 1989-2002 ..................9-12PsittaNews ..............................................13Behaviour: Abuse ..............................14-15Hyacinth Macaw Retires from the WPT 12 ..15Zuni Tribe Feathers............................16-17Rediscovery of Fuertes’s Parrot ..............18Trade Ban Petition Latest........................18WPT Admin Page ....................................19Parrots in the Wild..................................20

The World Parrot Trust does not necessarily endorseany views or statements made by contributors toPsittaScene.It will of course consider articles or letters from anycontributors on their merits.Anyone wishing to reprint any articles in full or inpart seen in this magazine needs permission fromthe author and must state that it was copied fromPsittaScene.All contents © World Parrot Trust

Cover Picture

By Jamie Gilardi and Nick Reynolds.A Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchushyacinthinus) enjoying a macadamia nut atParadise Park - as the largest flighted parrot,these birds are capable of cracking the hardestof nuts, giving them access to the rich andtasty meat inside.

‘The Hyacinth Macaw Retires from the WPT 12’.See page 15.

Dr. Roger WilkinsonHead ofConservationScience and atChester Zoo,Roger Wilkinsonwas Curator ofBirds therebetween 1983and 1999 anduntil recentlyGeneral CuratorHigherVertebrates andResearch. He

now oversees Chester Zoo's increasingcommitment to Conservation and Researchprogrammes. He has a special interest indeveloping overseas conservation links and inmanaging budget-supporting conservation andresearch programmes linked to the zoo.

Chairman of the EAZA Parrot TAG (taxonadvisory group) since its inception in 1992, heis also the EEP Species Co-ordinator for thePalm Cockatoo and ESB studbook keeper forthe Blue-eyed Cockatoo. He participates in awide range of zoo breeding programmes forbirds and publishes widely on aviculturalmatters. A council member of the AviculturalSociety, he is a regular contributor to theAvicultural Magazine. His positions includeSecretary of the West African OrnithologicalSociety, member of the IUCN PheasantSpecialist Group, and co-chair of the EAZAHornbill TAG. He came into birds throughaviculture; he kept and bred Australianparakeets and joined the Parrot Society in itsinaugural year.

Previously Roger was Senior Lecturer inDepartment of Biology Sciences at BayeroUniversity, Kano, Nigeria and is an HonoraryResearch Fellow of Keele University. He has aBSc in Zoology and a PhD from SouthamptonUniversity. With considerable field experience,he has written papers for scientificpublications in ornithology, bird behaviour andecology. Roger enjoys seeing birds in the wild,in the UK and abroad and has seen more than100 parrot species in the wild. In 2001 heachieved his ambition of seeing wild PalmCockatoos and Blue-eyed Cockatoos while on abirding trip to Papua New Guinea.

Meet the teamOne of the questions sometimes asked by members is: How do we decide which conservationprojects to support? The answer is that proposals for funding are examined individually bymembers of our Scientific Committee. These members are introduced below.

Our ScientificCommittee

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PsittaScene August 2002, No 52 ■ 3

other species including the Pink Pigeon andRound Island reptiles, culminating in Andrew'sappointment to the Council of the MauritianWildlife Foundation in 2001. He is also aCouncil member of the Durrell WildlifeConservation Trust and a Board member of theWildlife Information Network.

Tony JuniperTony Juniper hasa passion forparrots.Formerly theParrotConservationOfficer atBirdLifeInternatioinal,Tony has sinceworked on awide range ofenvironmentalquestions,

including deforestation in the tropics - perhapsthe most serious threat facing the parrotstoday. Tony is also the co-author of the award-winning Parrots - a guide to the parrots of theworld, published by Pica Press and YaleUniversity Press in 1998. In September 2002,Fourth Estate will publish his new book: Spix'sMacaw - the race to save the world's rarest bird. As well as maintaining an active interest inparrots, Tony Juniper is the Director Designateat Friends of the Earth England, Wales andNorthern Ireland. He is due to take over as theExecutive Director in early 2003. In themeantime he leads the Policy and Campaignsteam of about 40 campaigners and researcherson the organisation's energy, biodiversity,transport, industrial pollution, food /biotechnology campaigns and sustainabledevelopment policy. He is also the ViceChairman of Friends of the Earth International- the world's largest grassroots environmentalnetwork operating in 70 countries worldwide.

He has campaigned to influence theenvironmental impacts of a number of majorcompanies and coordinates Friends of theEarth's work on the activities of corporationsin relation to sustainable developmentquestions. Tony has been closely involved withthe international campaigns on globalisation,climate change and GM crops. Tony is also aDirector of the Ilisu Dam campaign, whichsuccessfully prevailed in persuading BalfourBeatty to withdraw from the controversial IlisuDam project in Turkey.

Tony has played a prominent role in severalother of the major environmental campaigns ofthe 1980s and 1990s - both for Friends of theEarth, since 1990 and previously at BirdLifeInternational. He has focussed particularly onpolicies affecting tropical forests, the effectsof debt on the environment in developingcountries, road building and transport policy,the protection of Britain's key wildlife areas(he chaired the Wildlife and Countryside Linkgroup of organisations and successfullycampaigned for the 2000 Countryside Act) andthe international trade in endangered birds.

Dr. Stephen GarnettStephen Garnettlives in tropicalnorthernAustralia wherehe works as aconservationbiologist for theQueenslandParks andWildlife Service.His area ofexpertise isthreatenedbirds,

particularly parrots. Having reviewed thestatus of all Australian birds in 1992, he andhis wife, botanist Gabriel Crowley, began workon the Endangered Golden-shouldered Parrot(Psephotus chrysopterygius) (see PsittaScene vol9, no 2). Their study, which began as aninvestigation into this curious parrot's naturalhistory, has now evolved into a major initiativein land management across an area the size ofGreat Britain.

They then moved on to the criticallyendangered Glossy Black Cockatoo(Calyptorhynchus lathami) on Kangaroo Island.They and their team discovered that the mainthreat to the subspecies was the loss of eggsand young to predators. The cockatoopopulation almost immediately began toincrease after the island was searched fornests and as many nest trees as possibleprotected with corrugated iron collars. Nowthere are nearly twice as many Glossy Black-Cockatoos on Kangaroo Island.

In the meantime, Stephen was instrumental infounding the Birds Australia Parrot Trust, tobring together biologists and enthusiasts witha passion for wild parrots in Australia. Thenewsletter of this group, Eclectus, providesoriginal observations of Australian parrots inthe wild from leading researchers.

Stephen became involved with the World ParrotTrust when Mike and Audrey Reynolds visitednorth Queensland to help initiate a study ofPalm Cockatoos. The proposal prepared forMike by Stephen has resulted in two studies.One by Steve Murphy in Australia is continuingand has been reported in PsittaScene. Theother was in New Guinea where biologist PaulIgag has recently completed a study of PalmCockatoos, Eclectus Parrots and Pesquet'sParrot in one of the largest areas of untouchedrainforest in that country.

Mike also involved Stephen in reviewing thestatus of parrots in Australasia for the ParrotAction Plan. Stephen has written accounts ofparrots for Jewels of Nature, a magnificent two-part work that has the potential to providefunds for international parrot conservationwell into the future. Currently the mainemphasis of Stephen's work is on the costs andmanagement of threatened species recovery,which he has been reviewing while onsabbatical at Cambridge University.

Charles Munn III PhDCharles Munnwas aConservationZoologist withthe WildlifeConservationSociety, NewYork, from 1986until 2000.During this timehe becamerenownedworldwide forhis work withmacaws in the

Peruvian Amazon. He has helped to createparks that have protected 12 million acres ofrainforest, cloud forest, Andean grasslands andlowland savannahs in south-eastern Peru andadjacent Bolivia. The conservation groups hestarted in Peru and Brazil have purchased morethan 20,000 acres of important rainforest areasfor wildlife conservation. In 1994 he wasnamed by Time Magazine as one of 100 youngleaders for the new millennium. In 1995 he wonthe Top in Ecology prize from the BrazilianAssociation of Sales and Marketing, and hasbeen responsible for developing various eco-tourism lodges and opportunities in Peru.He is currently Chairman of the Board ofTropical Nature Inc.In 1990 he recorded indigenous knowledge ofthe locations of 30 major clay licks used byparrots and macaws in the Peruvian Amazon.Prior to this work, only the clay lick in Manuwas known to science. In 1999 he co-authored ascientific paper with Dr James Gilardi on thefunction of clay-eating in parrots. The resultssuggested that parrots are able to detoxify thefood they eat by consuming clay, thus enablingthem to exploit a wider variety of food sources.

James Gilardi PhDJames Gilardi hasbeen Director ofthe World ParrotTrust sinceNovember 2000.His work includesdeveloping andimplementingfield conservationinitiatives. Beforejoining the Trusthe was ResearchDirector of The

Oceanic Society, focusing on marineconservation in the Pacific, Caribbean andCentral and South America. During 1998 he wasthe Conservation Science Coordinator for WildlifePreservation Trust International in Davis,California, working on the scientific aspects ofmore than 30 conservation projects. Previouslyhe spent 15 months with this organisationleading a study of the conservation of the St.Lucia Parrot and other critically endangeredendemic birds. As a graduate at Davis, hestudied parrot foraging ecology in south-easternPeru. James still lives in Davis and ismarried, with two young children.

Preliminary Field Report on Yellow-faced Parrots in Ethiopia


By MARC BOUSSEKEY, CATHY PELSY & FRÉDÉRIC PELSYThe Yellow-faced Parrot (Poicephalus flavifrons) is an endemic parrot species of Ethiopia, it was poorly studied in the field and isvirtually unknown in aviculture. A medium-sized parrot like all the Poicephalus species, this bird has a green body plumage anda bright yellow mask. Both sexes are similar although the yellow area might be less bright and less extended on the female.Juveniles have an olive-green mask with or without a few yellow feathers.

So far this "small amazon-like" parrot has beenvery poorly studied in the wild. Thedistribution area is still quite uncertain andthere are no estimated figures for the wholepopulation. Moreover information on the bio-ecology ofthis bird remains very poor. According to thefew references we have, this species is a forestdweller, like Poicephalus robustus, inhabitingJuniperus, Podocarpus and Hagenia forests aswell as gallery-forests with Ficus trees. TheYellow-faced Parrot is usually found between600m and 2,900m of altitude and its main dietconsists in fruits and seeds (including grownmaize, sorghum and millet). No information onthe breeding habits is available.In order to get more information on thisspecies, a study field project was initiated inFebruary 2002. The World Parrot Trust kindlyoffered to cover half of the needed funds(US$6,200).We decided our itinerary after previousobservations made by Marc Boussekey (in1999, 2000 and 2001) and information givenby Yilma Delleghen Abebe, a reputed Ethiopianornithologist. According to him, thedistribution of the Yellow-faced Parrot isdivided within three main areas; in the Northaround Tana Lake, in the western forests of

Ethiopia along the Sudanborder, and in the South ofAddis Ababa.Since our trip was only 17days and due to thepoor road conditions,we decided to focus onthe southern area. Weare to investigate the othertwo areas in the nearfuture.

Objectivesand methods:direct observations andinterviewsOur main goals for this trip were:1 to confirm the occurrence of the species on

already known sites2 to look for new potential sites which looked

favourable to the bird3 to collect data on the basic biology of the

Yellow-faced (habitat, diet, behaviour andbreeding).

So, we conducted direct field observations allalong our trip. We left Addis for the South

through the Rift Valley and made our firstobservations around the Langano and Awassalakes. Afterwards, from Shashemene in theRift, we climbed on the high-plateau to theBale Mountain National Park and to Goba. Wewent on to the South down to Dolo Menawhere we camped for a few days. Back toShashemene, we went west to Welkite. Then wecamped in Menagesha forest on the way backto Addis.We were very pleased to have a four-wheel cardriver, Brook Kassa, who was also able tospeak several languages (English, Amharic,Oromo…) and was quite knowledgeable andenthusiastic about Ethiopian wildlife. We notedGPS data and altitude of every observation sitewe visited.We obtained very useful information aboutnew potential sites from detailed interviewswith local people (villagers, park and reserverangers…) and with local and foreign bird-watchers.We were able to make observations of theYellow-faced Parrot on four different sites, sowe collected direct information on the biologyof the species. It is worthwhile to mention thatone of our observation sites, near Dolo Menain the South, is outside the currentdistribution given by several authors.

HabitatOur own observations confirm thebibliographical data that the Yellow-faced is aforest dweller. We found them in highlandforests of Juniperus and Podocarpus trees ashigh as 2,500m. In lower areas, between1,200m and 1,500m, several times weobserved them foraging in gallery-forestsalong river banks feeding on Ficus trees. Wewere lucky enough to discover (and this is

Frédéric Pelsy

Degraded habitat with gallery forest used as feeding site. The main threat to the species survival is habitat loss.All the native forests including the Juniperus, Podocarpus and Acacia forests are destroyed by illegal logging forcharcoal and construction material. Photo: Cathy Pelsy

Marc Boussekey

Cathy Pelsy

probably a "first" to our knowledge) a roostingsite, the birds were perching in pairs or smallfamily groups on very tall Juniperus trees at2,400m of altitude.

DietWe collected samples of all the trees andplants that the Yellow-faced Parrot wasobserved feeding on. These samples were dulyidentified by Ethiopian botanists. The parrotwas seen to be feeding mainly on fruits, seedsand sometimes buds of trees belonging to sixgenera at least (Bersama, Cordia, Diospyros,Ficus, Syzygium, Terminalia).According to several reports, the Yellow-facedalso feeds on grown plants like maize (ThomasArndt took pictures of this) and sorghum, butsometimes on tomatoes, beans and spinach aswell.

BehaviourThe daily activities seem very typical for aparrot species: at dawn, on average, flocks of 2to 6 birds were seen leaving their roosting sitein order to reach feeding sites sometimesseveral kilometres away. Larger flocks (from 20to 40 individuals) have also been observed bysome informants. During these morning flightsthe parrots are very noisy, producing harshand high-pitched shrieks, they are thereforevery easy to locate. Nevertheless, when theyare feeding they keep very quiet, being verydifficult to spot especially as most of the timethey stay in the tree tops. During the hottesthours of the daytime, they rest in the shadowof the foliage and are then almost impossibleto see. By late evening, just before sunset, thesame flights occur but the opposite way. Thenoisy parrots fly back to their roosting site.They continue shrieking when they arrive,moving about in pairs or small family parties,as if they were selecting their sleeping site.The family groups are split up among severaltrees at a distance up to 100m or so from eachother. As far as we could observe, the birdsseemed to perch for the night on the branchesof the big Juniperus.

BreedingWe had the unexpected opportunity ofobserving a pair visiting a cavity in a tree andwere able to hear the sounds of the hatchlings,it was therefore an active nest (another "first"to our knowledge)! The nest was of about 20mhigh in a tall Juniperus located in a mountainforest at 2,401m of altitude. Several times weobserved the parents going in and out of thehole both in the evening and in the morning.When one of them entered the cavity, the otherwas perching around 1m away from the holefor several minutes and sometimes joined thefirst one inside. Both parents called when infront of the nest hole, sometimes producingnot so sharp notes but more rolling andalmost tuneful ones. We noticed that theparents did not spend the night in the nest, itis likely that the hatchlings were old enough tostay on their own.

The main threat: habitatlossIt is still too early to define the exact status ofthe species. Nevertheless, this first study mayallow us to say that the Yellow-faced Parrot isonly "common" in very specific locations. As amatter of fact, in many places along our trip,the species has never been observed either bythe local people, by birdwatchers and / orornithologists.

Moreover, most of the people who have beenable to observe this parrot mention a steadydecrease of the flock sizes within the pastyears. Nevertheless this bird is not hunted forfood nor trapped for the pet trade. The parrotsthat feed on the crops are usually just chasedoff and not killed by the farmers. In fact, the main threat to the species survival(as for many animal species in Ethiopia) ishabitat loss. All the native forests includingthe Juniperus and Podocarpus forests (andAcacia as well) are destroyed by illegal loggingfor charcoal and construction material.

Conclusion andperspectivesThe Yellow-faced Parrot is apparently ratherrare and is to be found in sites where there aresome forests left and usable as roosting andfeeding sites. The species distribution must bequite widespread in Ethiopia but probably veryfragmented because of the overall destructionof the natural habitat.Our trip in the Southern part of the countrygave us the opportunity of getting firstobservations on the roosting and breedingbehaviour of this species. We were also able toget more information on the parrot's feedingand general behaviour.Prospecting the other two areas where thespecies is apparently still living (the West andthe North) seems to be worthwhile if we wantto have a clearer idea of the abundance of thisspecies and of its current status.Moreover, full time observers should be hiredin order to get more precise biological data,which is why we are now trying to set up anetwork of local informants and observers.Consequently, we hope to collect more preciseinformation on the range size, the populationtrend and number as well as the ecologicalrequirements of the Yellow-faced Parrot.Donations towards funding future fieldsurveys for the Yellow-faced Parrot will be gratefully received at The World Parrot Trust.

Adult Yellow-faced Parrot. Photo: Roland Seitre

Podocarpus and Juniperus trees used as roosting andnesting trees. Photo: Cathy Pelsy

A young bird feeding on Terminalia sp. fruits.Photo: Roland Seitre



This grant came into existence in an interestingway. The Donner Canadian Foundation is a privateorganisation that does not accept applications forfunding. They go looking for projects to sponsorand wanted a new charity to donate to in Canada,specifically one that deals with conservation. Mr.Nick Roosevelt, one of the Trustees for the DonnerFoundation, lives in Florida near RSCF. Hecontacted RSCF to learn about their work and wasvery impressed with the Dominica programme.Since CWPT had previously funded it through RSCF(with a grant from the Highbury Foundation inVancouver), the Donner Foundation decided tocontact CWPT about further funding opportunities.This has proved to be a very effective grantprogramme as both RSCF and CWPT have very lowadministrative costs and the vast majority of

governments to ensure that the projects not onlyhave the backing of the government, but will bemore likely to continue into the future with orwithout RSCF's presence. Since 1997, RSCF andthe Dominican government have partnered toresearch Dominica's parrots and to conserve theSisserou. Although the Forestry and WildlifeDivision has been monitoring the parrotscontinuously since 1981, efficient methods toquantify the birds' population parameters andspatial distribution were lacking. By working withthe Forestry Division, RSCF has been able to helpthem work out effective monitoring techniquesusing Global Positioning System (GPS) andGeographic Information System (GIS) technologies.The money that CWPT has donated to theDominica project has been used in several ways.Funds from the first grant went towardssupporting the parrot team to monitor parrots.Grant money was used to engage the team in the

funds go directly to the field. In fact, CWPT didnot intend to keep 15% of the grant, but wanted tosend as much as possible to the project. However,the Donner Foundation insisted that CWPT reservesome funds to cover administrative costs, to fundother projects, and to try to raise even more fundsfor this and other initiatives.In the summer of 2001 Wayne Davey (CWPTTrustee) and I visited RSCF while on holiday todiscuss our new working relationship. WhileCWPT had funded RSCF in the past, it was good tomeet Dr. Paul Reillo and Karen McGovern (RSCF'sCurator) in person and to see how closely theirphilosophy matches that of the CWPT. RSCF is anon-profit organization dedicated to preservingbiodiversity through grass-roots conservationprogrammes rooted in sound science. RSCFemploys the "flagship species" concept to identifyand conserve high-profile, priority species and theecosystems they represent. One of the things thatWayne and I liked best about RSCF's philosophy istheir practice of co-operating with local

By SANDRA METZGER, Director Canadian World Parrot TrustIn the November 2001 PsittaScene, Dr. Paul Reillo, Director of the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation(RSCF), outlined the joint RSCF-Dominican Forestry and Wildlife Division parrot conservation programme.It includes field monitoring of Dominica's two endemic parrot species -- the Imperial Amazon or Sisserou(Amazona imperialis) and the Red-necked Amazon or Jaco (A. arausiaca) as well as a strategic recoveryplan for the Sisserou, the world's largest Amazon parrot and one of the rarest.Recently this programme has received significant financial support from the Canadian World Parrot Trust(CWPT). In August 2001 the CWPT received a grant of CAN$90,000 (approximately US$58,500) from theDonner Canadian Foundation. This grant was given specifically for the Dominican conservationprogramme with 15% being retained by CWPT. Due to the positive working relationship between CWPTand RSCF and the effectiveness of the grant, CWPT received an additional CAN$250,000 (approximatelyUS$162,500) from the Donner Foundation in January of this year.

Sandra Metzger

New poster. Photo: Paul Reillo

A portion of the grant money will be used to finish and equip two apartments in the lower level of the newpark Visitor Centre. These apartments will be used as a base camp for the parrot team and other researcherswhen they are doing field work. Photo: Sandra Metzger

The Canadian World Parrot Trust LendsMajor Support for the Conservation ofthe Imperial Amazon in Dominica

square miles is protected either as nature reserveor national park. Mountains cover roughly 75% ofthe island. The majority of my time on Dominicawas spent in and around the Morne DiablotinNational Park area. I worked with both Paul andStephen Durand (the Forestry Division's parrotteam leader) monitoring both the Sisserou and theJaco. While I was in Dominica, Lars Lepperhoff ofWPT Switzerland was also there on holiday to seethe project first-hand.We spent the first day in the area of the Syndicatenature trail, the only park area easily accessed bythe public and an active area for both Sisserouand Jaco nesting and foraging. During theapproximately hour-and-a-half period that wespent at one lookout, we managed to spot about adozen Jacos and two Sisserous foraging across thePicard River valley. These numbers are typical ofwhat one might expect to see of the two species.Population estimates for the Sisserou put the

field while team members were on leave fromregular civil service. The money from the firstgrant was also used to purchase a new 4-wheeldrive truck for the Forestry Division. Due to therough roads in Dominica and the steeptopography, safe, reliable transportation is crucialfor the team to be able to access their study sites.RSCF is using the money from the second grant toadd a 10+-acre buffer zone to the edge of theMorne Diablotin National Park. This is an areathat is currently used for agriculture, and is alsoused as a foraging area by both Sisserous(Amazona imperialis) and Jacos (Amazonaarausiaca).This buffer will provide additional protection tothe only park area easily accessed by the publicand will dramatically highlight the differencebetween the quality of the protected land on oneside of the road and the agricultural land on theother. The remainder of the second grant will beused to finish and equip two apartments in thelower level of the new park Visitor Centre. Theseapartments will be used as a base camp for theparrot team and other researchers when they aredoing field work, thus eliminating the need for anhour-long drive each way from Forestryheadquarters to the Morne Diablotin National Park.Future plans call for a full-time Forester to bestationed in one of the apartments to providebetter monitoring of the park and more patrols ofthe area accessible to the public.As I mentioned, the Donner Foundation insistedthat the CWPT retain 15% of the grant money.Their instruction was to see part of this moneyused to involve CWPT Trustees actively in theDominica programme. In October 2001 WayneDavey spent a week in Dominica with NickRoosevelt and his family and with Paul Reillo. Thepurpose of this trip was for Nick to be able tomeet a representative of the CWPT, and for bothNick and Wayne to meet the Forestry team and tobecome familiar with the conservation program.In April of this year I travelled to Dominica withPaul to spend a week in the field with the parrotteam. That week in Dominica was one of the mostenjoyable and exhausting weeks of my life.Dominica is a very beautiful, pristine, ruggedisland. Approximately one-third of Dominica's 289

population at ~150 birds with local populationdensities rarely exceeding five birds per 1,000acres. The Sisserou is a very shy bird and the twobirds I saw on my first day were the onlySisserous I managed to see during the whole trip(although I did hear a few others). The Jacopopulation is estimated at ~800 birds and it isnormal to see them foraging in groups of up to 30at a time. They are a much more adventurous,gregarious species and are more tolerant of humanactivity.The rest of my week was spent with Paul, Stephenand Lars hiking into different areas of the MorneDiablotin National Park and surrounding areas inan attempt to find and observe active Sisserou andJaco nests. Hiking in Dominica is not an easy thingto do. The terrain is very steep and rough, andthe "trails" were challenging and very muddy (eventhough it was the beginning of the dry season, wehad rain every day). By the end of the week mylegs were aching! The parrot team uses a varietyof observational techniques. We divided our timebetween hiking various areas, listening andwatching for parrots, and observing trees that hadbeen active in the past to determine if they werebeing used and by which species.Paul and Stephen also used the specialized videoprobe to inspect two nest cavities that had beenpreviously used by Jacos. The team uses certaineasy-to-access Jaco nests to determine the timingand success of a given nesting season. From whatwe observed while I was there it seems that thenesting season this year is late. While we didmonitor some activity around nest sites andidentify some nests believed to be active, most ofthe time we observed the birds foraging. Thiscould be due to a combination of a very wet "dryseason" this year, abundant rainforest fruits, andan overall vegetation recovery from last year'srecord drought.So what does the future hold for the Sisserou andthe Dominica project? Hopefully the future isbright. The CWPT is looking forward to acontinued funding relationship with both RSCFand the Donner Canadian Foundation, and I amhoping for another chance to spend some timewith the highly talented and dedicatedparrot team in Dominica.

Red-necked Amazon, or Jaco. Photo: Paul Reillo

Dr Reillo prepares the peeper video camera system.The small camera, mounted on the end of theadjustable boom is used to monitor inside nestcavities using the telescoping pole to which it isattached.

The Parrot Team, from left Stephen Durand (Parrot team leader), Matthew Maximea, Ronnie Winston and PaulReillo. A new 4 wheel drive truck has been purchased for the Forestry Division using part of the grant money.

Photo: Paul Reillo


By JOANNA ECKLES, Administrator USA World Parrot TrustFrom amidst a weathered rock backdrop a blur of pink and grey draws gasps from an audience ofhundreds. In a flash a spunky Rose-breasted Cockatoo (Eolophus roseicapillus) is center stage. 'Floyd',('Pink Floyd') lives at the Minnesota Zoo, an endearing member of the World of Birds show menagerie. Onthe trainer's hand he pops upright with crest erect and belts out a greeting - a high pitched fanfare.Asked, "Are you ready?" his whole body nods "yes!" Floyd then takes to the audience to pluck a dollar billfrom the outstretched hand of a wide-eyed volunteer. He pauses a moment, a sideways glance at histarget, then wings effortlessly to the stage where he enthusiastically stuffs the bill in the Bird Showtrainer's pocket. Good educational bird programs exist to teach thepublic about birds and other animals, theirhabitats, and their plight in the wild. Animals incaptivity are increasingly helping to connectpeople with lands and creatures far afield. Naturalbehaviours like vocalizing, flight and foraging arestaged for live audiences to spark interest in birdsand conservation.So, where does a dollar-swiping parrot fit in? Thispopular behaviour is a 'retrieve' where a bird istrained to pick something up and deposit itelsewhere. It doesn't have to be a dollar bill. In hisvast experience at the year-round program at thezoo, Floyd has orchestrated a number of marriageproposals - flawlessly ferrying expensive diamondsolitaires to unsuspecting ladies. No matter whatthe cargo, the routine is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Still, the Minnesota Zoo trainers weren'tquite satisfied.Last summer, they refreshed the dollar-bill routinein keeping with the strong conservation tone ofthe rest of their show. Now, Floyd does thebehaviour to the usual fanfare but he has anencore - a quick trip to a donation box showsvisitors where to drop their dollars forconservation. The message is passive but the showvisitors are inspired to act on it. Over the courseof a year the Minnesota Zoo Bird Show raised over$10,000 for Hyacinth Macaws. Determining the effectiveness of shows like thiscan be difficult. Visitor observation, surveys andanecdotes are very positive yet hard to quantify.The audience is diverse and transient. They havevarying levels of interest and knowledge and whatthey have learned or how it has affected them isnearly impossible to measure. Dollars raised forconservation are testimony that good programslike this work.

The Minnesota Zoo is not alone. At Paradise Parkin the UK where The World Parrot Trust isheadquartered, an impassioned crew has alwayshad fundraising as a priority. For years in theirfree-flight bird of prey program they haveencouraged their visitors to donate toconservation. Now, with the addition of a secondshow featuring a variety of free-flying birds, theyhave become a small force in raising conservationdollars. A Goffin's Cockatoo (Madge to her friends!)(Cacatua goffini) carries 5 x £1 coins one by oneto demonstrate that money well spent is goodconservation. As she takes each coin, the trainereloquently explains what £1, £2, £3 or £4 will'buy' for conservation. They paint a vivid pictureof Lear's Macaws, threatened by the overgrazing ofintroduced livestock. "Five pounds enables us toplant a Licuri Palm Tree seedling and simply fenceit off from the cattle and goats, allowing it to growto maturity." After the Goffin's routine, theaudience is invited to queue up to have theirpound coins collected by Galahs (Eolophusroseicapillus) 'Billie' and 'Rosie' to be deposited inthe World Parrot Trust donation box. And queueup they do - as many as 97 per day. That's almost50 trips each for these two hard-working Rosies.They enthusiastically return to the stream ofvisitors until the last one leaves. When I spoke toDavid Woolcock, Paradise Park Curator, the crewwas poised to break the £18,000 mark indonations carried by these birds since 1999. Adelaide Zoo (featured in PsittaScene No. 50,February 2002) has raised over US$10,000 forGreat Green Macaws (Ara ambigua). They've donethis by focusing their show on the conservation ofmacaws and allowing visitors to feed and takephotographs with the show birds for a small

Joanna Eckles

donation. Some shows have the ability to cast an even widernet. Natural Encounters Inc. (NEI), run by SteveMartin, has been traveling with its own show andhelping others to set up shows around the worldfor almost 3 decades. Along the way, they havebanked thousands for conservation. NEI shows, nomatter where they are, always have a very strongconservation message conveyed via a fantasticarray of birds all performing natural behaviours. Clearly Natural Encounters audiences are inspiredto act based simply on the quality of the show andits message. But, Steve also uses the 'dollar billroutine' directly to raise funds from willingparticipants who receive a souvenir in return fortheir $20 bill (yes, $20). NEI trainers, like mostothers, answer audience questions after programs.During this time, 'Indigrover,' a Hyacinth Macaw(Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) gladly acceptsdonations. And, apparently, he doesn't take coins!Since 1988, with the help of Indigrover, severalGalahs, Pied Crows and others, NEI has tallied inexcess of $200,000 for conservation projects onseveral continents. Almost $35,000 has come tothe World Parrot Trust for our dedicated funds forAfrican Grey Parrots (Psittacus erithacus), HyacinthMacaws, Great Green Macaws, Palm Cockatoos(Probosciger aterrimus) and Lear's Macaw(Anodorhynchus leari). You may have seen 'bad' programs with beautifuland intelligent birds performing silly tricksaccompanied by empty narration. Unfortunately,these programs do exist. Hopefully, inspiringexamples like the Minnesota Zoo, Paradise Park,Natural Encounters and Adelaide Zoo willencourage a new standard. With the help of theirtrainers, captive birds like Floyd, Madge andIndigrover are taking center stage to help theirwild counterparts. They inspire appreciation andinterest, empathy and action and their influence is generating very real dollars forconservation.

Ryan Watson, Bird Trainer and Manager of the showat Adelaide Zoo.

Steve Martin at San Diego Wild Animal Park with theamazing singing Amazon ‘Groucho’, who generouslygave his support to WPT’s John Cleese Live Parrot Video.

Fran Le Nepveu pictured front left donated the £1 coinwhich resulted in the Free Flying Bird Show raising anincredible £20,000 for Parrot Conservation.

Captive Birds Lead the Wayin Conservation!


The World Parrot Trust was launched by Paradise Park, Hayle, Cornwall, UK in January 1989. The founding trustees were Mike andAudrey Reynolds, consultant international veterinarian Andrew Greenwood, and curator David Woolcock. Rosemary Low, famed authorof many parrot books, agreed to be editor of our magazine PsittaScene.

The Trust’s stated aims were, and remain:• The survival of parrot species in the wild• The welfare of captive birds everywhere

Paradise Park provided £11,000 funding to start the trust, plus free office space and facilities, and much free work from the park’s staff.As the years passed by and the trust’s membership grew into the thousands, funding for parrot conservation and welfare work was madeavailable around the world. 12 international trustees pictured here and a distinguished scientific advisory committee guide WPT’sactivities.This publication is intended to give a picture of the highlights of the effort to save the parrots, carried out by The World Parrot Trust.

Mike Reynolds, foundertrustee, chairman

Audrey Reynolds,founder trustee

Andrew Greenwood DVM, founder trustee, scientific committee

David Woolcock, founder trustee

Victoria Ewart,trustee

Cristiana Senni, trustee,campaigns director, rep Italy

Charles Munn PhD, trustee,scientific committee

Steve Martin,trustee

Glenn Reynolds,trustee

Ruud Vonk, trustee,director Benelux

Nick Reynolds, trustee

Rosemary Low, editor of the PsittaScene

Jamie Gilardi PhD, director, scientific commitee

Alison Hales, trustee

WWWWoooorrrrlllldddd PPPPaaaarrrrrrrrooootttt TTTTrrrruuuussssttttHHHHiiiigggghhhhlllliiiigggghhhhttttssss 1111999988889999 ---- 2222000000002222

Spix's Macaw1990 - WPT funds help discover the last bird in the wildWe were asked to help with 40% of the funding needed by ICBP (now BirdLife International) tosend an expedition to search for any Spix’s Macaws remaining in the wild in Brazil. One last birdwas discovered, and team leader Tony Juniper has now written a book about the threatenedextinction of this bird, caused by illegal trapping and export of the birds to rich collectors inSwitzerland, the Philippines, and Spain. An official committee for the recovery of Spix’s Macaw has recently collapsed. There are nobirds left in the wild, but around 60 in private hands. Tragically, these are near all very closelyrelated individiuals; many are siblings. The future of the species rests primarily with theowners of the largest group, at Birds International, Manila. The World Parrot Trust has alwaysbeen willing to contribute all its avicultural, veterinary, and biological expertise to the recoveryof this critically threatened species.

Survey ofGlaucousMacaw Habitat1999In 1998 Charlie Munnwas asked by Sheikh AlThani to carry out asurvey of the historicalterritory of the extinctGlaucous Macaw( A n o d o r h y n c h u sglaucous) in Brazil. Aswell as confirming theloss of the Glaucous, the survey was invaluablein producing expert and original informationfrom PhD ornithologists. This information onhabitat loss, trapping for the pet trade, andother issues, will assist the conservation ofspecies such as Lears, Spix’s, Blue-throated andother macaws. A video has been prepared featuring theconclusions of this survey.

The WPTEducational Buses1992, 1993, 1995 and 1997The original idea came from Paul Butler of RARE, whoasked if we could provide a parrot bus for theCaribbean island of St. Lucia. This bus was to travel allover the island, visiting schools and other locations,telling the story of the endangered St. Lucia parrot(Amazona versicolor) and what had to be done to saveit from extinction. Our team at Paradise Park, led by

David Woolcock and Nick Reynolds, bought aused bus and fitted it out with working models,video programmes and other educationalfacilities, then shipped it out on a banana boat,and handed it over to staff of the island’s forestrydepartment. It was a great success, and resultedin similar buses being provided for theneighbouring islands of Dominica and St.Vincent, and also for use in Paraguay.This remarkable achievement resulted inParadise Park and the World Parrot Trust beingchosen by BBC Wildlife Magazine as winners ofthe ‘Zoo Conservation Award for Excellence’.London Zoo came second.

Lear’s Macaw1990 to dateEarly on in our history we were contacted byDr. Charles A. Munn III, acknowledged to bethe world’s leading expert on the macaws. Wewere able to support his work for HyacinthMacaws (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), andthen moved on to funding extensive projectsfor the much more endangered Lear’s Macaw(Anodorhynchus leari). The habitat of thesemacaws was unknown until 1978, andremaining numbers in the wild were oncethought to be as low as 60. We haveconsistently funded the work of the BioBrasilFoundation in NE Brazil, and new discoveriesof other populationsbring the currenttotal to around 250birds. This year,illegal trapping hasbeen prevented,and no less than 30chicks fledged atthe Serra Brancasite.

Goffin’s Cockatoo1993A television crew returned from filming in theIndonesian island of Tanimbar and reported to WPTthat about 700 Goffin’s Cockatoos (Cacatua goffini)were being held in cages by trappers.This cockatoo had just been added to the CITESAppendix 1 list of threatened species, and we usedour contacts in the area to make a payment to thetrappers for the release of the birds back into asuitable area of forest. We felt this was a task theWorld Parrot Trust should undertake.

Paraguay bus.

St. Lucia bus. St. Vincent bus.

Dr. Charles Munn. The cockatoos being released.

The birds being kept in appalling conditions.

The Plight of the African Grey1996 to dateFor hundreds of years African Grey Parrots (Psittacus erithacus) have been taken from WestAfrica to be kept as pets in Europe and elsewhere. They are renowned as the best talkingparrots, and in recent years the advent of air transportation has resulted in hundreds ofthousands of them being trapped and exported, most of them illegally. The numbers are sogreat that the World Parrot Trust became interested in studying the species in the wild witha view to assessing the likelihood of them becoming extinct in the wild. This must be adread possibility, bearing in mind the vast numbers of the Passenger Pigeon and theCarolina Parakeet, both of which went extinct in the USA in a few short years.We part funded an expedition to the Central African Republic by Diana May of the Universityof Arizona. This resulted in some of the first sound scientific information about the GreyParrot and its lifestyle; this has been published in PsittaScene, and a new WPT video aboutthis species in captivity and in the wild is available. The World Parrot Trust is vehemently opposed to thetrapping of any parrot in the wild, and is conducting acampaign to ask the European Union to bring in a total banon the importation of birds into the EU. In 2002 we are alsofunding work by Dr. Usongo in Cameroon, with the goal ofpreventing the trapping of 15,000 Grey Parrots a year. WPTwill continue to do all it can for this species, and wouldwelcome funding from anyone interested in helping.

WPT in AustraliaRed-tailed Black Cockatoo 1994 to 1997World famous author Joe Forshaw (see Parrots of theWorld by Forshaw and Cooper) has helped the trust since

its early years. He hasserved on our scientificcommittee that reviewsapplications for funding,and in 1994 hesuggested that we mightprovide funding for aproject in SouthAustralia to help protecta remnant population ofan endangered sub-species of the Red-tailedBlack Cockatoo

(Calyptorhynchus magnificus). We funded the recordingand guarding of these birds for three years. Then theresponsibility was taken over by the State Governments ofSouth Australia and Victoria and continues today.

Palm Cockatoo 1999 to 2002Working with one of Australia’s top parrot experts, Dr.Stephen Garnett, we learned of important field research

into the status and biology ofthe Palm Cockatoo(Probosciger aterrimus) inCape York, northern tip ofAustralia. This was beingcarried out by Steve Murphy,and more funding wasurgently needed. We agreedto provide this for threeyears, and recently agreed tocontinue for a fourth year.Previously little was known

about this spectacular bird, but the knowledge now gainedwill help the species in both Australia and Papua NewGuinea.

Parrot Action Plan1995 to 2001 - WPT underwrites and co-publishes Action Plan with IUCNIn 1992 a previous attempt to produce a Parrot Action Plan was abandoned, due todisagreement among leading international parrot experts. In 1995 the WPT wasoffered help from British Airways Assisting Conservation to fly in representativesfrom the USA, Australia and Europe, for a meeting in London aimed at re-creatinga consensus to finalise and publish a new Action Plan.The meeting was successful, and the World Parrot Trust was asked to takeresponsibility for coordinating, progressing and funding the work on the plan.This was a considerable and lengthy project, but finally in 2001 the four authors,Noel Snyder, Alejandro Grajal, Phil McGowan and Jamie Gilardi, completed the workand it was published jointly by IUCN (the world conservation union) and WorldParrot Trust.The Parrot Action Plan is now the definitive document listing the 98 threatenedspecies, with recommendations for their conservation over a five year period. Ithas been consulted by many organisations and individuals, and can be found onthe internet at the WPT website www.worldparrottrust.org.John Cleese helped us with a video to launch the Action Plan, and a great deal ofpublicity was achieved on tv and press media.

Steve Martin (L) and John Cleese filming the WPTvideo.

Mike Reynolds (L) and JosephForshaw with fledgling cockatoo.

Search for theRed-throatedLorikeet, Fiji2001 to 2002In 1998 we were invited byour friend Michael Dibben,then the British HighCommissioner in Fiji, to takean interest in the parrots ofthe islands. Working closelywith the National Trust for Fiji, in 2001 we sentKirsty Swinnerton, previously a member of theMauritius team, to carry out a preliminary survey.She reported back that a search for the endangeredRed-throated Lorikeet (Charmosyna amabilis)would be a priority, and that six month project hasnow been completed. Reports have appeared inPsittaScene. Sadly, the rare bird was not seen, butmuch information was gained, and further surveysare being considered.In general, with our limited funds, we try toconcentrate our efforts on the ‘frontiers’ of parrotconservation need. In deciding our priorities, werely on our thirteen years of experience, our directorand his staff, our scientific committee, and therecommendations of the Parrot Action Plan. The ‘Hodge’ Parrot Aviary at

Paradise Park2002The World Parrot Trust has benefitedfrom a number of legacies that havemade it possible for us to expand ourwork and carry it out in a moreprofessional manner. For example, theappointment of our scientificallyqualified director Jamie Gilardi PhD hasonly been made possible by the legacies we have received. The largest legacy was from the estate of Leonard and Sheila Hodge, residents of St. Agnes,Cornwall, UK. This was for £104,000 ($150,000). We wanted to create a memorial for theHodges at Paradise Park, so we have just finished constructing a smart new aviary - TheHodge Aviary - to be reserved for housing unwanted parrots. For thirty years the park hastaken in as many of such birds as possible, but its accommodation is fully committed, soa whole new facility is very welcome.We must take this opportunity to invite all readers to consider the World Parrot Trust intheir wills. A legacy to WPT is an excellent way to say thank you for all the pleasure andfulfilment that parrots bring into our lives.

Echo Parakeet1990 to date - world’s mostsuccessful parrotconservation programme We have always enjoyed a most friendlyrelationship with the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust (now the Durrell WildlifeConservation Trust), and in 1990 they invited us to join in the financial support for theEcho Parakeet (Psittacula eques) on Mauritius. At that time there were only about 8 of thespecies left - this would have been an almost unsolvable problem, if it were not for Dr. CarlJones and his outstanding team from Mauritius, New Zealand, Canada and the UK. We putmuch of our limited resources towards this project, and to date this totals over £100,000,plus about £30,000 we persuaded other organisations to donate. With a blend of ingenious scientific and avicultural initiatives and a series of outstanding

hand-rearing experts, Carl Jones and hismany enthusiastic helpers have now broughtthe total number of Echo Parakeets to over150. Most have been released back into thelimited forest area on Mauritius, and many ofthese are now breeding without anyassistance apart from some supplementarynest boxes. A remarkable success story, unique in theworld of endangered parrots. WPT intends tocontinue its support, and invites all to jointhem in this effort.

How You Can Help• Join the World Parrot Trust • Buy WPT merchandise •

• Give a donation or legacy to help the birds •• Educate friends about the plight of the parrots •

Contact Informationwww.worldparrottrust.org

UK Tel: 01736 751026 USA Tel: 651 275 1877

Financial FactsUS $700,000 raised this yearThe Trust’s ability to save the parrots of the worldis based largely on how successful we are at raisingfunds to support our educational and conservationefforts. To date, that funding has come entirelyfrom the generous support of our members,through legacies and through support from privatefoundations. Due to an increase in legacies andfoundation contributions we’ve been able tosupport more effective projects than ever.Combining the resources of all our branches forthe fiscal year ending in March 2002, we were ableto raise over $700,000 for the conservation andwelfare of parrots worldwide. Although a globaleconomic downturn will make it difficult to sustainthis level of funding every year, we are pleased thatwe’ve been able to attract these kinds of resourcesand attention to our mission.The funds raised and used by WPT since 1989 nowtotal US$2,000,000.

Dr. Carl Jones (L) was presented with the Carolina Medal(R) by WPT for ‘outstanding achievement in parrot

conservation’ in August 1999 during World Parrot Day.

ObituaryNancy Lewis Cullity

Nancy Lewis Cullity a resident ofSegamore, Massachussetts and a lifetimemember of WPT with her husband Brian,died Saturday May 25 at her home.Mrs Cullity was an avid adventure traveller.Her interests spanned from ancientAnazasi cultures to rain forest and parrotconservation. She and her husband hiked,camped and backpacked throughout theSouthwest in addition to taking nearly adozen trips to the jungles of South andCentral America. Her last trip was inNovember to the Mexican state of Chiapasto help with the conservation of the ScarletMacaw (Ara macao cyanoptera) in theregion of the Lacondon jungle. She wasalso actively involved with theconservation of parrot clay licks in ManuNational Park in Peru.We would like to thank family and friendsfor their donation, totalling $2,255, to TheWorld Parrot Trust in memory of Nancy.

A Sad DayThe Umgeni River Bird Park, South Africa isdevastated to announce that an armed robberytook place on Thursday 1st August 2002 andalmost thirty rare macaws and cockatoosworth around a million rand were stolen. Thebirds are mainly endangered species, and forall practical purposes, cannot be replaced.Hyacinth Macaws (Anodorhynchushyacinthinus), Palm Cockatoos (Proboscigeraterrimus), Great Green Macaws (Araambigua), Blue-throated Macaws (Araglaucogularis), Leadbeaters Cockatoos(Cacatua leadbeateri) and many other specieswere stolen. Most have closed rings on, andmost have Trovan transponders implanted. Weare broken.......Any information anyone could provide wouldbe appreciated.Dr. M. Penning, Umgeni River Bird Park, PO Box35205, Northway, 4065, South Africa, Tel:+2731-579-4600, Fax: +2731-579-4574, [email protected] or WPT UK direct

Cockatoo Walkaboutinspires and educatesonce againIn a spectacular setting in Northern California,Chris Shank held her biennial gathering in Maythat she calls the "Cockatoo Walkabout." Thisyear the speakers included veterinarians, birdtrainers, avian behaviourists, andconservationists. Held at her house calledCockatoo Downs in the Sierra Foothills, Chrishas tens of free-flying cockatoos circling aboutthe oak savanna, and acting like ... well,cockatoos. As always, the Walkabout inspireda great deal of informed discussion about thelives of cockatoos and other parrots, and all80 or so attendees went home with a greatdeal more knowledge and food for thoughtthan they had when they arrived. And due toChris' generosity, t-shirt sales, and a very

productive auction, the Trust went home withover $4,200 for the Palm CockatooConservation Fund! Many thanks to Chris andall those attending for your much neededsupport.

The Kakapo have fledgedBy DON MERTON

The latest news on the most extraordinaryKakapo (Strigops habroptilus) breeding seasonin history is as follows:

· 24 (92%) chicks survived, three of which werehand-raised at the Burwood Bush RearingUnit. The latter were returned to WhenuaHou on 30 May. They will remain in purpose-built pens until release to free-range inAugust/September;

· All 24 chicks have now fledged;· The world Kakapo population has increased

from 62 to 86 (39%) in just one season (theprevious record, 6 new birds, was in 1999);

· 41 of the 86 birds (~48%) are of known age -ie 21 years or less. In Kakapo terms this isyoung. Most of the unknown age group wereadult in the 1980's, and there's been just oneadult death in the last 8 years;

· DNA sexing techniques have confirmed that15 (62%) of the 24 new chicks are female.Until now there has been a preponderance ofmales. Manipulation of female weights priorto breeding (to increase the ratio of femalesat conception) appears to have beeneffective. There is evidence that heavyfemales produce mainly male young and thatlight females produce mainly females.However, if females are too light they areunlikely to breed. Supplementary feeding inprevious years may have been a factor in thedisproportionate number of males produced(9 of 11 young from supplementary-fedfemales during the period 1991-1999 weremale);

· The number of females in the population(previously a matter of serious concern) hasincreased from 26 to 41 (54%);

· Some females this season bred successfullywith little or no supplemental feeding. Thisindicates that if management ceased then atleast some effective reproduction could takeplace periodically and thus birds there dohave a chance of making it on their own. Thishas been a concern, for until now theWhenua Hou population appeared to bedependent on on-going, intensivemanagement;

· Transfer of nests with eggs or nestlings up to4m to safer locations, or to where they canbe more safely accessed proved practical andbeneficial;

· Information from dataloggers placed in nestcavities showed that nests are similar tolarge butter coolers - surrounded bysaturated peat they maintain a constant lowtemperature (~10oC) and 98 -100% humidity(difficult to simulate in an artificial nest-box!);

Top marks to the island-based Kakapo team.All worked very long hours, often under veryunpleasant and difficult conditions. Theresult - an astonishing 24 new Kakapo - is thePhoto: Courtesy Cockatoo Downs.

PsittaNewsPsittaNews


culmination of decades of very hard work by agreat many people - Richard Henry in the1890's -1900's, New Zealand Wildlife Service1950's -1980's, and since then, Department ofConservation Kakapo Programme staff incollaboration with Threatened Species Trustpartners Comalco NZ Ltd and the Royal Forestand Bird Protection Society of NZ. Andespecially, the many volunteers - all in all, anextraordinary level of commitment, dedication,innovation and hard work. No other birdrecovery programme in New Zealand, andprobably the world, has seen such adetermined effort sustained over such a longperiod.

Smuggling of IndonesianBirdsRecently, KSBK (the Indonesian undercoverinvestigative team) released its report onillegal trapping and sale of birds in Indonesia.Not surprisingly, it is very depressing. KSBK has started a campaign in Indonesia topublicise this national disgrace; they haveasked us to try to spread the wordinternationally.To this end, a petition has been created whichcontains a synopsis of relevant facts and aneasy way to sign the petition, which willeventually be delivered to President MegawatiSoekarno Putri and the Minister of Forestry.We are hoping that you would sign the petitionyourself as an individual (no affiliation will beasked or shown), include the petition on yourwebsite(s) or, better still, contact friends,family, acquaintances directly, and ask them tosign the petition and then cross-post it (notthe petition itself; only its location on the web)extensively world wide.It can be found atwww.PetitionOnline.com/cockatoo/petition.htmlIt takes less than a minute to sign. YOU don'thave to forward the petition itself to anyone.


By STEVE MARTINI heard someone say the other day that they had rescued an abused parrot. In the past, these wordsinspired feelings of sadness and compassion in me. But, today they are met with apathy andreservation. I have not lost my passion for parrots; I still care deeply about their welfare andtreatment. But, over time the words "abuse" and "rescue" have lost their significance. Maybe it isbecause these words are so often tossed around carelessly with little regard for the indictment theysuggest.I can hardly visit a parrot internet list, read an article, or speak to a group of parrot enthusiasts,without hearing the term "abuse" in association with companion parrots. However, I rarely hear thedetails of the so-called abuse. I know there are many horror stories about parrots being hit, ignoredin dark basements, being fed diets sorely lacking in adequate nutrition, etc. These examples ofmistreatment, of course, deserve to be included on the list of "parrot abuses." There are worsestories as well, many too painful to consider and beyond the scope of this article. What I am talkingabout here are the other cases of abuse; the ones where the interpretation of the mistreatment ispoorly defined and left to the discretion of the storyteller.I have never seen a definition ofthe word "abuse" as it applies toparrots. There are no standardsfor the care and management ofpet parrots. Only the subjectivejudgment of parrot ownersdictates what is best and what isright for companion parrots. Oneperson's idea of proper care orhousing for a parrot can easily beanother person's idea of abuse.One person's purchase at a petshop may be another person's"rescue".My dictionary defines abuse as:the physical or psychologicalmaltreatment of a person oranimal. This definition leavesopen the question of from whoseperspective is the abusedetermined? Is only the humanperspective important toconsider? If so, are all humansqualified to judge the physical andpsychological state of a parrot? Or, is itpossible to consider the perspective of theparrot when evaluating abuse? Can you reallyevaluate what an animal is thinking, or feeling?Is it appropriate to consider the bird'sperspective or is it enough to justify people'sactions with their good intentions? Where is theline drawn? Who draws the line? What is theconsequence when a person steps over the line?There are simply too many questions that cannotbe answered. Maybe that is why the words"abuse" and "rescue" have become so vague.Since it is so difficult to define parrot abusefrom a human perspective, I suggest abuse beconsidered from the bird's perspective. Aparrot's physical and mental health should begood indicators of abuse. An avian veterinarianis best qualified to determine physical health inparrots. Many parrot owners have alsodeveloped observational skills that allow themto spot physical signs of illness and stress intheir birds. A bird's body language can provide

great insights into its mental health and currentstate of mind. Body language can be used todetermine levels of stress, anxiety, apathy, fear,etc. High levels of signs, such as stress, maysuggest abuse. For instance, if a parrot isgrowling, screaming, hissing, and franticallytrying to flee, abuse is very possibly at work.I understand this idea is new and will bedifficult for some people to accept. For this ideato take root many people will have to changetheir attitude and practices when working withparrots. Some people will have to adopt new,more positive methods to work with their birdsto avoid creating levels of stress in their birds.The result of these positive methods will mostlikely lead to better relationships withcompanion parrots. The practice of dominatinga parrot will not survive in this new era ofpositive relationships. Past relationships builton negative interactions will give way topositive reinforcement of good behaviour whichwill in turn lead to more enjoyable and fulfillingrelationships between bird and human.

Home AloneIf parrots are allowed a voice, people will beforced to evaluate their relationship with theirparrot using new criteria. For instance, a womanwrote on an Internet list recently that she hadjust rescued an abused parrot from a pet shopand would now like to know how to care for it,as this is her first and only parrot. This newparrot owner will be encouraged to evaluatefrom the parrot's perspective what is morecomfortable; life at the pet shop or life in herhome? For many people, keeping a parrot alonein a cage while they are at work is normal. For aparrot, this is a very unnatural livingenvironment. A wild parrot is virtually neveralone its entire life, unless it is a female sittingon eggs. However, few people would considerthis bird "rescued" from the pet shop an abusecase because the intentions of the owner weremorally sound. She provided a loving home, agreat diet, and companionship…for about fouror five hours a day. It's a different perspectivewhen you consider Nature has set the bird up tohave all these things 24 hours a day. If you wereto consider the situation from the parrot'sperspective, it is possible the bird would choose

life in the pet shop with othernoisy birds over the dailyconfinement and isolation in aperson's home.In this new era where parrots aregiven a say in their care andmanagement, people will beencouraged to evaluate the waythey handle and formrelationships with their birds. Iread on another Internet list of aparrot that loves the woman ofthe house and dislikes thehusband. The husband wasseriously bitten by the bird a fewtimes before he finally decidedhe would quit handling the bird.The people on the list found thisunacceptable. They wrote thingslike: "How can he stop handlingthe parrot, denying the bird theinteraction and companionship itdeserves?" Another person wrote,

"This is abusive treatment and you should forceyour husband to put up with the bites and showthe bird how much he cares." One after anotherthey encouraged, no demanded, that thehusband work with the bird. No one took intoaccount the parrot's point of view. It occurredto me that the parrot was simply following itsnatural instincts and reacting as nature hadintended. It was probably bonded with thewoman and protecting its territory from anintruder … an intruder who kept trying to forcehimself on the bird with demands to "step up."From the bird's perspective the man surelymust have been an abuser. I suspect thehusband may have also felt a bit abused by therelentless pressure to continue to work with thebird, and by the frequent and predictableattacks by the parrot.In the new, more positive era of companionparrot ownership, people will be more sensitiveto their birds' body language. They will notforce them to do things they don't want to do orgo places they don't want to go. I saw a man at

Behaviour issuesBehaviour issues

Most parrots spend their entire day and night in the close company of others, if not piledon top of one another at a clay lick like these Blue-headed Pionus, they are at least witha buddy, a mate, or with their entire family; Little Corellas have been seen in flocks ofup to 70,000 birds in Australia! Photo: ©2002 JDGilardi, WPT

Oh, The Abuse!Steve Martin


a parrot club a while back parading a frightenedparrot around the room. The bird wouldoccasionally fly part way across the room,crashing to the floor after exhausting its clippedwings. The man would dutifully go pick the birdup and return to his seat. It was obvious to meand many others in the room that this poor birdwas scared half to death by all the commotionin this new environment. The repeated attemptsat flight and hard crashes to the ground wereeven more difficult for me to accept when theman made the excuse to the group that the birdis nervous because "he was abused." How true, Ithought.For some, the term "abuse" is little more than anexcuse to hide behind. I have heard manypeople say things like, "my bird doesn't talk, hewas abused." Or, "he bites me all the time, hemust have been abused." I cannot deny thatmany parrots have suffered at the hands ofhumans. Often these people are misinformed,well-meaning people who just don't know anybetter. Sadly, other times they are people whosimply don't care. However, no matter what thepast has dealt a parrot, it can still enjoy acomfortable and fulfilling life, provided itreceives proper care and treatment. Theproblem is there are so many opinions as towhat is proper and what is not.The best way I know to decide what strategy isbest when working with a parrot is to allow theanimal to be part of the decision. Start bylearning to recognize the negative signs ofstress, fear and anxiety in your bird. Also learnto recognize the positive signs of comfort,happiness, and play in your bird. To choose thebest strategy for working with your bird alwayspull from your bag of positive approaches andavoid the negative approaches. For manypeople, this may be more difficult than it seems.Humans have a long history of using negativeapproaches to get their way. People have grownup using heavy-handed techniques to shape and

modify behaviour. This culture is innate to usand difficult to change. To complicate the issue,a negative approach sometimes gives theillusion of success to a parrot owner. Mostanyone can force themselves on a parrot,especially one with clipped wings, and realizesome level of perceived success. However, thebehavioural fall-out from this approach may befar reaching. Sure, the bird can learn to performdutiful behaviours to avoid negativeinteractions, but at what price? We may neverknow the psychological effects negativeinteractions have on parrots. But, is it reallyworth the risk? Isn't it better to use positivemethods to "allow" birds to perform desirablebehaviours rather than force them to complywith demands? Certainly a reward of a favouritetreat, a scratch on the head, or verbal praise isbetter than forcing a parrot to perform an actionout of fear or discomfort. Plus, the positiveapproach creates an environment where the birdwants to perform creates more lasting results,and promotes a better relationship between birdand human. For any behaviour or action youwant your bird to perform, positivereinforcement works better than negativeapproaches. It's as simple as that.

As the largest of flighted parrots and among the most spectacularlycoloured, the Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) has longbeen the most sought after bird in aviculture. Because of its playfulnature and impressive stature, this species has suffered intensivetrapping in its home in Brazil, causing alarm among parrotconservationists that it might be driven to extinction in the wild like its

smaller cousin the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii).Since 1987, as a result of improved law enforcement in Brazil and workby several NGO's, this alarm has been turned into effective conservationaction. For many years we at the Trust have focused on the conservationof this species in the wild by creating the Hyacinth Fund and supportingthe study of its biology and encouraging protection through ecotourism.We now feel that the species - which likely numbers about 5,000individuals in the wild - has recovered sufficiently that we can refocusour resources on more critically threatened species in South America andelsewhere around the globe. The Hyacinth still faces serious threat fromwidespread habitat conversion for soybean production, and with anyslack in enforcement, the trapping will very likely resume. Our hope isthat with the ongoing protection, education, ecotourism, and otherconservation action, this species will continue to recover and lend itsspectacular stature to the conservation of the entire region.Thus, we are now retiring the Hyacinth Macaw out of our WPT 12 and intoour Parrot Portfolio which will remain our way of drawing attention toour growing collection of success stories in parrot conservation. Bymaking this change, we will now have the opportunity to add the morecritically threatened Blue-throated Macaw to the WPT 12 which will help us focus more conservation resources on this tiny population in Bolivia, which hovers on the brink of extinction.

Though it may happen on rare occasions, it isdifficult for me to believe that anyone wouldpurposely abuse or mistreat a parrot. The vastmajority of parrot owners are responsible,caring people who want only to do what is rightfor their birds. Too often, they are confused bythe myriad of conflicting information availableto parrot owners. One source says force yourparrot to comply with your commands anddon't let him get away with anything, whileanother says use positive reinforcement tocreate the best relationship possible with yourbird. Both methods produce results. However,positive methods will never be associated withthe word "abuse".

ConclusionThe past does not equal the future. A bird'shistory is important, but not nearly as importantas the present. The events of today shape therest of a bird's life. Today is the perfect day togive your bird a voice through its body languageand let it have a say in its care and treatment.Today is the day you can decrease thefrustrations and increase the rewards for both you and your companion parrot.

This Umbrella Cockatoo is a playful, contented bird, not a human-dominated one. Photo: Rosemary Low

The Hyacinth Macaw Retires from the WPT 12


Native Culture andMoulted FeathersBy AVRIL BARTON, a long term member and supporter of WPTAfter sending moulted feathers to the Northern American Indian tribe in Zuni for almost two years,I recently accepted their invitation to visit them, and travelled six and a half thousand miles tospend the most incredible ten days of my life living with them and learning about their beliefs andlifestyle.The Zunis are one of nineteen Native American groups of Indians who are located in northwesternNew Mexico near the Arizona border and the towns of Gallop and Grants; the nearest town beingthirty miles away.

For generations, the Zunis have built theirvillages close to the Zuni River and to CornMountain - a sacred place where their peoplefound safety in earlier times.Zunis are the descendents of a prehistoricpeople. They speak their own language andhave customs and beliefs which make themunique. Their land is ruled by their Elders andis called a ‘Sovereign State’; it borders withlands belonging to the Hopi, Acoma and NavajoIndian Nations.After much consideration, I decided not to doany research in advance, but to learn aboutthem day by day when I got there. I wascollected by Steve Albert the director of theNatural Resources Department, and wetravelled one hundred and thirty miles alongRoute 66; which was wonderful for me as it wasmy era for music and films. I was taken to RedRock Canyon where John Wayne made most ofhis famous cowboy films, and then we werereally into desert landscape. For someone whois used to streetlights every twenty yards it is areal culture shock, by now I was expecting tosee tee--pees.My first sight of Zuni was Corn Mountain, a redand golden rock formation which guards thestate of Zuni land; so very impressive that youhave to wonder how nature could create such athing from flat landscape.We then went to the Natural Resources

Department where I met all the staff and learnthow they sort the feathers for the various ‘Kiva’(religious groups) members to apply for them.Different feathers are required for differentceremonies at various times of the year, withthe Macaw / Parrot being the most revered

birds. All the feathers are used, even to thesmallest down feather, which they use to fill inthe tiny gaps in the ceremonial dress or todecorate prayer sticks with.I asked why when the feathers were so scarcedidn’t they use the costumes again, but wastold that they didn’t just represent the variousGods, but their belief that they were thevarious Gods reincarnated, and depending onthe ceremony performed the costume had tobe either buried or burnt so that the God couldgo the full natural circle, and come back to lifeat the next festival.The ‘Aswani’ group had arranged to perform awelcome dance for me that night after dinnerin the hotel’s courtyard, and I was able to meetlots of the Zuni people who came along tomeet ‘La La Oka’ - my Zuni name given to methat night by the Chief Councilman, meaning‘Feather Lady’, a derivative of one of their Gods‘ The Feather String Girl’.My time there went far too quickly. A visit tothe culture centre to try and learn about theirtribal history mixed in with visits to theirancient dwelling places and burial groundsgoing back to the thirteen hundreds when theSpanish first discovered them blended in withvisits to the School to talk to the childrenEntrance to Burial Lands.

Aswani Dancers welcoming me to Zuni.

Avril Barton


about Rainforest conservation; a talk to theadults explaining the work of the World ParrotTrust, and arranged that they donated to theUSA branch in return for the many feathersthey receive from around the world to keeptheir culture alive - Not forgetting the visit totheir hospital, which compared with some ofours is state of the art, and all paid for by thehard work of the Zuni people themselves.Amongst my most vivid memories are visits tothe Eagle Sanctuary where both Golden andBald Eagles are cared for after road accidents orlanding on power lines which can damage theirfeet making them unable to be released into thewild. I visited it daily and gained the trust of‘Olo’ (the Zuni word for golden) a female goldeneagle weighing in at over ten pounds. To haveher, a wild bird with such power sat on my armand eating her prey in front of me left mefeeling very humble indeed.Another incredible sight was the ceremonial‘Shalako’ night dances. The Shalako are the Zunicourier gods, and they welcome and bidfarewell to the season, other Gods and alsopray for the rains. Normally Non-Zuni personsare not allowed to see the Zuni ceremonies, butI was taken with the Zuni women to watchthrough the windows of the seven Kivadwellings involved in the Spring festival exactlylike the tribal women would have done forhundreds of years.It was very easy to forget the twenty firstcentury when we only had burning torches,drumbeats, rattling of prayer sticks and thesounds of the animal and bird gods that thedancers were portraying. All this combined withminus zero temperatures once it became darkand everyone speaking the Zuni language madeyou feel that this was very much another world..... certainly not the USA of Disneyland or NewYork.

There wasn’t a day went by when I didn’tmarvel at the natural mix of the past and thepresent. We collected a juvenile golden eaglethat had been injured whilst eating its kill on

the roadside, and was no longer able to flyproperly. The tribal council asked me to nameit in honour of my visit. I called her ‘Chancer’,because I felt she had got a second chance inlife.On arrival back to Zuni land we were met in themiddle of a sunny afternoon by an Elderdressed in full ceremonial robes who blessedthe eagle, and cleansing it with ceremonialcornmeal at the side of the road before it couldenter Zuni land. Minutes before this we hadbeen discussing the World Cup and betting onwho was going to win.On the final day I was taken to meet the threeremaining ‘Bow Chiefs’ two in their lateEighties, and one who was mid Seventies. It wasexplained to me that the Zuni was never awarring tribe and that the Bow Chiefs werethere to protect them from their enemies, bothon earth and as Gods in Heaven.To become a Bow Chief one had to scalp asworn enemy, and as this was not the done

‘Olo’ my beautiful Golden Eagle and I.

thing nowadays, these men were very sad andconcerned that this Kiva would no longer bepart of the Zuni life, especially as when theyhad all died, no one could perform these twoceremonies to resurrect their figures in Heaven.When it was pointed out to me that it was onlyjust over sixty years ago that the youngest ofthe three would have scalped someone to beinitiated into the Bow Chief Kiva that I realisedjust how close the past and the present reallywere.The Zuni have asked me to say ‘Elahkwa’(Thank You) for your help so far, and pleasekeep sending the feathers so that conservationand native culture can run side by side.Please ring Avril on 0113 248 4915 forinformation where to send your feathers. Or ifoutside the UK please send them c/o S.K. Albert(Director), Zuni Fish and Wildlife Department,BLDG 2., Route 31 North, PO Box 1473, New Mexico 87372 USA. Email [email protected]

Zuni Councilman sorting feathers.

STOP PRESS!"Missing" South American parrot rediscovered after 90 years, photographed for the first time

By MIKE PARR (ABC) and JAMES GILARDI (WPT)This July 28, researchers with ProAves Colombia, supported by American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and the World Parrot Trust (WPT), photographed one of theworld's rarest parrots in the high Andes of Colombia confirming the survival of this long lost species. Colombian ornithologists Jorge Velasquez and AlonsoQuevedo found a flock of 14 Fuertes's Parrots in a remote area of the central Andes close to Los Nevados National Park.

Ninety one years ago, in August 1911, two bird collectors from the American Museum of Natural Historyin New York - Leo Miller and Arthur Allen - visited the same volcano as Jorge and Alonso to explore itsbirdlife. They spent several months in the desolate high Andean wilderness, and discovered a "distinctand interesting" parrot that was previously unknown to science. The birds were described the followingyear and named Hapalopsittaca fuertesi, or Fuertes's Parrot, also called the 'Multicolored Parrot' by localfarmers.Between the original discovery and this July, the continued existence of this intriguing species hasremained a mystery with no confirmed sightings of the bird. Last year, ProAves Colombia, a Colombianbird conservation group, decided to mount a determined search for the species to see whether it could belocated and protected. The group was supported by Dr. Paul Salaman, an expert in Colombian ornithologyfrom the British Museum of Natural History, and received initial funding from ABC and the WPT. Theproject, which also studied another rare Andean parrot, the Rusty-faced Parrot, has subsequentlyattracted additional support from Fundación Natura, Conservation International, The British NaturalHistory Museum, and Instituto de Ciencias Naturales - Universidad Nacional de Colombia, and recentlywon the Gold Award at this year's prestigious British Petroleum International Conservation Awards. To date, just 14 Fuertes's Parrots, including 3 juveniles, have been discovered, surviving in just a fewdozen hectares of forest. The critical requirements of the species appear to be tall mature trees, wherethey feed on berries amongst the epiphyte-laden canopy branches and find vital nesting cavities. JorgeVelasquez has stated "my team's task has only just begun, as we must commence the vital job ofprotecting the species with great urgency." Now the researchers know the specific habitat preferences anddiet of the parrot, it is hoped that they can locate and protect other surviving flocks in the region."From our experience with the critically endangered Yellow-eared Parrot, another species restricted to theColombian Andes, we know that conservation efforts for these rare birds can succeed. We now need togain the support of as many people as possible to help fund and implement a comprehensiveconservation effort" said Mike Parr, Vice President for Program Development at ABC, and author ofParrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World."The re-discovery of the long-lost Fuertes's Parrot is a great achievement for ornithologists andconservationists in Colombia, and underscores the fact that so many parrots linger on the brink ofextinction. ProAves' accomplishment will inspire desperately needed conservation work in the Andes,promoting the recovery of this parrot and many other species unique to the region," said James Gilardi,Ph.D., Director of the World Parrot Trust.For further information, photographs, or to express interest to help, please contact Mike Parr, ABC, 202452 1535 ext. 204, or James Gilardi, WPT, 530 756 6340

Please complete all sections marked with an * Please tear off and return to: WPT, Glanmor House, Hayle, Cornwall, TR27 4HB, UK. If you would like additional copies of this or the actual Proposal to Ban the Importation of Wild-caught Birds into the European Union

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A Special Thanks to ‘Clinic for Birds, Meppel and Dudley & West Midlands Zoological Society, West Midlands’for their support and promotion of this Trade Ban

Photos of the rediscoverd Fuertes's Parrot(Hapalopsittaca fuertesi) By Jorge Velasquez.© 2002 Fundacion ProAves - Colombia

With thousands of members in over 50 countries, our branches work to achieve the stated aims of the World Parrot Trust, which are:• The survival of parrot species in the wild• The welfare of captive birds everywhereTo Achieve these Aims, we:• Restore and protect populations of wild parrots and their native habitats

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WPT International ContactsUnited KingdomKaren Whitley, Administrator, Glanmor House, Hayle, Cornwall TR27 4HB UK.Tel: (44) 01736 751026 Fax: (44) 01736 751028, Email:[email protected] Cook, Email: [email protected] Reynolds, Chairman: [email protected] Dennison, PO Box 1758, Link Hills, Natal 3652, S. Africa.Tel: (27) 31 763 4054 Fax: (27) 31 763 3811, Email: [email protected] Carlton, Hong KongTel: (852) 9235 6300, Fax: (852) 2241 4610, Email: [email protected] Owen, 7 Monteray St., Mooloolaba, Queensland 4557, Australia.Tel: (61) 7 54780454, Email: [email protected] de Vries (Membership Sec.), Jagershof 91, 7064 DG Silvolde, Netherlands.Tel: (31) 315327418, Email:[email protected] enquiries: Romain Bejstrup (32) 32526773Netherlands enquiries: Ruud Vonk (31) 168472715CanadaSandra Metzger, PO Box 29, Mount Hope, Ontario, L0R 1W0, Canada.Tel: (1) 519 823 8941 Fax: (1) 519 823 8941, Email:[email protected] (Scandinavia)Michael Iversen, Klokkekildevej 59A, 3550 Slangerup, Denmark.Email: [email protected] Arnoult, 16 Chemin du Peyronnet, 06500 Menton, France.Mobile: (33) 62 026 1957 Email: [email protected]. & G. Prin, 55 Rue de la Fassiere, 45140, Ingre.Tel: (33) 2 38 43 62 87 Fax: (33) 2 38 43 97 18GermanyMarcus Kreft, Riemenschneider Weg 32, 12157 Berlin, Germany.Email: [email protected] Senni, Email: [email protected] Virili, via Matarus 10, 33045 Nimis, UdineSpainRicardo Sobrino, Novás, 36778 O Rosal (Pontevedra) Spain.Tel: (34) 986 625 918, Fax: (34) 986 626 165, Email: [email protected] Lepperhoff, Lutschenstrasse 15, 3063 Ittigen, SwitzerlandTel: (41) 31 922 3902USAJoanna Eckles, PO Box 353, Stillwater, MN 55082, USA.Tel: (1) 651 275 1877 Fax: (1) 651 275 1891, Email: [email protected] Gilardi, Director: [email protected] Web Sites:Main: http://www.worldparrottrust.org,Canada: http://www.canadianparrottrust.org,Italy: http://www.worldparrottrust.org/italy

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Parrots in the Wild

Red-bellied MacawOrthopsittaca manilata

By © 2002 BILL KING, SANDOVAL PERUA Red-bellied Macaw watches the shore of Cocha Salvador from its nestin a dead Mauritia palm in southeastern Peru, a palm common to oxbowlakes on which this specialist parrot is largely dependent for food,roosting, and nesting.

PsittaScenePsittaSceneParrots in the Wild

magazine of the world parrot trust august 2002 no.52 ... · macaw - the race to save the...

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